Excessive Force (1993)

Excessive Force poster

New Line Cinema
Starring:
 Thomas Ian Griffith, James Earl Jones
Directed by: Jon Hess

Cat Out of the Bag Alert!  This review contains some spoilers for this film!

Synopsis: Terry McCain (Thomas Ian Griffith) is a cop whose known for violently going over the top with suspects, a fact that is used against him when a drug deal goes bad and both gangsters and cops are involved.

Cat Burglar (Scene Stealer): Terry’s partner Dylan (Tom Hodges) is at home with his girlfriend preparing to celebrate Terry’s birthday. He has a cardboad box which reads “Happy Birthday Terry” on the side. Inside is a tabby kitten. Dylan takes the kitten out of the box and plays with it. Moments later the bad guys break in and drag Dylan away (the kitten is not seen during their intrustion).

Excessive Force - Dylan Tom Hodges with tabby kitten in cardboard box

Excessive Force - Dylan Tom Hodges holding up tabby kitten

After Dylan and his girlfriend are found dead, Terry finds out about the present while at Dylan’s apartment.

Excessive Force - Terry Thomas Ian Griffith with tabby kitten and cardboard box

Excessive Force - Terry Thomas Ian Griffith holding up tabby kitten

Excessive Force - Terry Thomas Ian Griffith holding up tabby kitten

Terry lets himself into the apartment of his former girlfried Anna (Charlotte Lewis). She is surprised to see him and his tabby kitten (who is never named but is identified as a female).

Excessive Force - tabby kitten on couch

Excessive Force - Anna Charlotte Lewis holding tabby kitten

Terry takes the kitten to the kitchen to get her some milk in a bowl. Anna tells him to take his cat and go but he explains what has happened to Dylan and she is sympathetic.

Excessive Force - tabby kitten on counter between Terry Thomas Ian Griffith and Anna Charlotte Lewis

Excessive Force - tabby kitten on counter with Terry Thomas Ian Griffith and Anna Charlotte Lewis

Excessive Force - tabby kitten on counter between Terry Thomas Ian Griffith and Anna Charlotte Lewis

Later Anna brings to kitten back over to Terry’s apartment above the bar owned by their friend Jake (James Earl Jones).

Excessive Force - Terry Thomas Ian Griffith sitting with Anna Charlotte Lewis holding tabby kitten

Strangely enough the kitten disappears from the story for a long time. One presumes that Jake takes over looking after the kitten while Terry and Anna are on the run, but no mention is made of this. At the end of the film, Terry and Anna visit Jake in the hospital and smuggle the kitten in to see him. What’s incredible is that it’s an entirely different kitten! The former kitten was a short haired tabby but this kitten is a long-haired gray and white one.

Excessive Force - tabby kitten held by Terry Thomas Ian Griffith with Anna Charlotte Lewis

Excessive Force - tabby kitten held by Terry Thomas Ian Griffith and Anna Charlotte Lewis

Excessive Force - Jake James Earl Jones with tabby kitten in hospital bed

Excessive Force - tabby kitten given by Terry Thomas Ian Griffith with Anna Charlotte Lewis to Jake James Earl Jones in hospital bed animated gif

The animal wrangling was provided by Animal Talent of Chicago.

Excessive Force - tabby kitten held by Jake James Earl Jones in hospital bed with Terry Thomas Ian Griffith with Anna Charlotte Lewis

Excessive Force - tabby kitten held by Jake James Earl Jones in hospital bed

Final Mewsings: Note to directors: Don’t just let continuity slide when it comes to cats.


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